Process of producing motive fluid.



H. MAXIM. PROCESS OF PRODUCING MOTIVE FLUID.

. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 23, 1899. RENEWED MAY 18, 1904. 931,135.

Patented Aug. 17, 1909. v

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

H. MAXIM.

PROCESS OF PRODUCING MOTIVE FLUID.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 23, 1899. RENEWED MAY 12, 1904.

a SHEETS-SHEET 2,

Patented A 1 H. MAXIM. PROCESS OF PRODUCING 'MOTIVE FLUID.

APPLIOATION FILED MAR.23, 1899. RENEWED MAY 18, 1904.

Ow a, W T R W a 1 m m 9H N 7 3 E Q 1 h V v E Y, 3 m A m MW 3 5% A .Y, m 3 5%; w m 7123 v H m 3 m 4W m ATTOR N EY Pedoes, r o was; and 1i ht' naval and nunsou or NEW YORK, NLY.

rnoc'sssor rnonncnm normal-mm).-

To" all may concern: "Beiit" known that I;

proved prooess ifor producing" motive fluid;

oruse mainly for the more rapid propul sion than heretofore of self-propelled: torother launc es,*though1it-isa soapplicable for otherpurposes.

The ventionhas for its object mainlyto provide' a proees'sb which the products of" combustion "of a nitro comp ound or other ,com indcapable of supportingitsi' own com ustion-Khereinafter referred tofas a-self combustin ."body) may be confinedg' con"- trolled an utilized for producing a :motive fluidg for use in actuatingqav motor or otherwise- (as inijet propulsion), and'bywhich the great heat of'the products .of' combustio'n sion to therendfthat'themotor'or otherpro-i Felling" means may be operated for a much o and the torpedois utilizedito evaporate a. a liquid, or to heat a gasor vaponfor-use inde ndntly or in connection wit'h the said pro uctsbi'combus-fl 'tion for actuating amotor, or as apropelling a ent I The inventionsalso hasfo'r' its' 'object to rovidfor thggeneration and supply 'oia in er volume of motor fluid andlat, a'muoh ressure "than has heretofore beenpractice. le without increasingsthe weight-or.- sizeofi'present automobile torpedoes, whenhig er the invention is employed in their ,propulf nger periodfof time, driven to. a greater distanceandfat-a much increasedsp'eed. a I Another desirable result of the employment of-the present inventionis that the shell 'ofthe torpedo,- and' fespecially that part" which has heretofore been employed-as the compressed air flask, maybe greatly lightene ,thereby enabling 'the torfpedo *to carry a greatly increased charge 0 high explo- SIVES. I

With'these'objectsqin iew the invention,

generally stated, consists in the rocess of producingf-a motive; fluid whic consists in continuously burning a, body capable or sustainingits own combustiom as 'a colloidal intro-compound, andcont-inuousliy 1'0 nets of combustionby the action 0 forcing 'aliquid, as water, into the Specification a Letters'iatent. Application med. inch as; 1899; semi no. 41mm; Renewed fia;18';"'190&.- semu'm: 20am y I HbnsoN MAXIM, resident of the city and State of New"York-,= have invented? new anduseful'; Processes of "Producing-Motive Fluid,- which-awfully set ip s s t cui'd (in the ormof-spray orotherwise beproducts 2 of combustion themselves, and

. thereby utilizing the; heatlof the products of combustion to vaporize" the liquid,.

whilethe latter ser ves to reduce the tem-i perature of the roductsof combustion to a-degree that-w' l'notbe" injurious to the mechanism of the motor" 1 t propelling device-, the mixed. products: of combustion- .andva orizin' motive v jble body is burned under pressure, as that due. to the gases of its .own dombustion, the 'burnin heat controlled in- :sucli y to llqliidconstituting the uid; referablya the self 'combussticause t e body to burn from? a;.:sin'gle surfaoe', to the end that" uniform productionof utilize e heat-of this heated body to em? S Irate or assist in. evaporating the liquid.-

finely dividing this heat-absorbing body and roducts of combustion and 1i q-,

tween the particles: thereof; the desire result' ismost effectively accomplished. The self combustive body" may be burned ina general downward -d1rection while surrounded b'y acooling liquidgsas water, and the liq- 'uid'-to"b.e evaporated" may be fed into the path of the products oflcombustionin the orni of. jets or spray. I

'The' feeding of the liquid into; the path of [the gases-"of combustion may; be-secured; :One-efiective method of' imparting-the heat of the-products of$combust1onto-the liquid (as-Water) to be eva oratedj thereby-andmixing theproduots o combustion and vapor is to cause the products ofoombustion to ,he'atabody (such for example asfirebrick', kaolin; lpumice stone or" the like) andthen the products of combustion may be acc'omplishe'd in any suitable way, but preferably this is done subjectingtheliquid to ressuredue to the products of combustiont emselves; When this is done it is desirable to apply 'the pressureto the liquid in such a way that the pressure per area unit onthe liquid exceeds the pressure per area unit in the combustion orv atomizing andvaporizingchambers and their connected channels or" conduits. Thismay be accomplished in a variety of ways,- ,as byxthe employment of combustion may be caused to first circulate as a: cooling; medium around the self-come idiflferential' pistons or pressure surfaces which will serve to augment or increase uponv combustion to proceed in the direction of thelon 'tudin'al axis of the body.

e inventive idea 'involvedmay receive various expressions without los ng its identity, and a variety of forms of. apparatus may be emplo ed in practicing the process constituting t e invention, some of which forms of apparatus are illustrated. in the ac :companymg drawings-to assist in the better. description of the process. i

In said drawings Figure 1 1s a longltudinal section of a part of a torpedo, containin apparatus for practicing the process constitutmg the invention; Fi 2 is a cross-sectlon on thelines 2, 2, Fig. 1; ig. 3 is a plane pro- 1 jection of an atomizin employed; Fig. 4 is a iagonal cross-section of the same tn the line 4,4, Fig. 3; Fig.5 is a cross-sectional view of a tube for containing a rod or candle of powder. constituting the 1 self-combustive body, apart of the spraying "or atomizing deviceibemg shown in elevation; Fig. 6 1s a lon itudinal sectionof a device fer lightingt e powder candle, adja- Jcent parts of the torpedo being also shown; Fig. 7. is a cross-sectional view on the line 7, 7, Fig; 6;Fig. Sis a longitudinal section if line 9,9, Fig. 8;

ofa part ofya torpedo contaming-amodified form of apparatus for practicing the invention; Fig. 9 is a cross sectional view on the Fig. 10 is an elevation of a portion of the torpedo showing a door or plate used to close an opening through which the powder candle is inserted into position Fig. 11 is an enlarged cross-section of the dinal section of a portion'of a torpedo conpowder tube and surrounding jacket tube, showing the liquid-controllin valve; Fig.

I 12 is a radial section .on thehhe 12 ofFig.

-1-1;-Fig. 13 is an enlarged cross-section of another form of valve; Fig. 14 is a longitutainingva modifiedform ofa paratus;.Fig.

15 is an enlarged lon itudinasection of the means for automatically igniting the powder candle; Fig. 16 isa view similar to Fig. 14,

i but showing af modified ratus illustrated in Fig. 14.

Referring to the drawings, 1 is the torpedo casing which can be made quite li ht, it belng only necessary that it shouldstrong enough tosu port the contained apparatus. I t1s stiffen at its forward end by a partition 2, forming a forward chamber c0ntainmg the exploslve charge 3, and the fuse 4.

or spraying device form of the appa-.

The owder candle or self-combustible, 5, in

the orm of apparatus shown in Fig. 1, is contained in a central longitudinal tube 6 which extends from the front of the torpedo to an atomizing or spra ing device to be hereinafter described. T e tube 6 contains at its forward end the fuse 4, and a portion of the explosive charge 3, a plug 15 separating the candle-containing part of the tube from the charge 3. 1

.The, rear end of the candle tube 6, is in communication, through a supporting artiin ach'amber 50, consisting of a series 0 concentric circular passages formed by the cylinders 8 and 9, and the torpedo casing 1, which are closed at; their rear ends, and are attached to the partition 7, and contain atomizing materia composed of pieces of firebrick, kaolin, pumice stone or other suitable substance, whichnznaterial is held in the. inner cylinder or ixingcylinderfi, between a plurality of transverse perforated metallic partitions 10, covered on their front surfaces ond cylinder 9, covered. with a perforated and gauze-covered plate 12,-to prevent the atomizing material from stopping the opening. The second cylindfr i), is also rovided with openings 9 into the, outer c inder or torpedo casin at its forward en andnear the partition so that the gases and vapor upon esca ing from 'tl iecandle ,tube and spraying evice, ass longitudinallythrouih the inner cylind er 8,, return throu h t e second cylinder 9 and 'pass rearwar again through the outer casing and' the end perforated partition 13, toland throughtherear partition 13, and by means of the "pipe 14, to the motive machinery'pf the torpedo.

The candle 5 is ignited referably by means of a small rod of a self-combustible material 15 inserted into the-.end of the candle and projectin out of thecandle tube toward the c llnder ,where it is in contact with a simi are rod 16, extending radially intothe combustion chamber from an externall removable plug. 17 (see Figs. f1 and 6). T e radial 161s ignited byanf electric spark or incapdescence and is rovided for this purpose with two internal insulated 'wires18, referably united at thev inner end of the r0 by asinall filament of at n or other suitablemetal, adapted to lie heated to incandescence by the passagepf anelectric current. i

The radial rod is inserted mat-115510 the wiresy-18 able socket 18, through which extend and are sealedtherein by means of a body of lead 19, held between two'plates 20,

tion 7, with an atomizing and mixing eviceg and'adapted to be compressed so as to thoroughly pack-around the wires bymeans ofthe plunger 21 under the pressure of the screw,plug-17, the lunger and plug having a central opening orthe passage of the'in sulated wires to .the outside of the torpedo. The socket piece 18" is provided with. an, annular recess communicating with the main body of lead-so that-when theplug is tightly screwed down, the, lead prevents any escape ofgases from the combustion chamber.

The candle tube 6 is surrounded by a jackettube 21 leaving an annular space be-.' tween the tube and jacket for -a cooling circulating liquid. Preferably such liqui forms a part of that to "be sprayed into the 'productsof combustion, andvin such case the annular space referred to is in communication' with a reservoir 22, containing; the

liquid, and at'its rear end said annular space communicates with "a sprayin or atom zmg device 23, for. injecting the liquid into the piston is extendediradially outside of the and that,

products of combustion as they pass from the candle'tubeti, as will be hereinafter described. e

. The reservoir 22 isformed .ofthe tube 21 combined-with a permanent head 24, at-

tached thereto, and a'longitudinally sliding" outer wall or. cylinder25, attached to the sliding head or'piston 26, which head or cylinder 25, preferably. to the inside of the casing 1. *It will be seen, therefore, that the! outer surface of the piston isof'greater area than'thatportion of the inner surface forming a part of the liquid-holding reservoir,

should the pressures per-unit of area'be egual, on both surfaces, the-piston and'c'ylin er. will'move'forwa'rd and force the liquid through 'the'jacket tube-and to the spraying device. In order to accomplish this result, the outer surface of the p1ston 26,'is placed in communication'with the combustion chamber or evaporatingchalm- 'ber bymeans of the openings 27, through the partition-7, so that, when thespowderz is i ited and as pressure is. generated, I the liquid-is forced into the ases of combustion,

It will be. understood tiat the pressure on the forward surface of the piston outside 3 the reservoir is practically nothing.

The reservoir is provided'with a filling tube orpipe 28, adapted to be openedto the outside of thetorpedo, and the colloidal candle 5 is supplied or replaced through the front of the torpedo'by removing'the' fuse 4 and'plug'15.. The part of torpedo casing about. the maxing chambers and liquid reservoir is made of thicker material, in order to tube 6,

rel-ationto each other, lsoithatxthe j etsfof -I watervorother liquid injemitting, from 1 the nipples, may enter every portion .ofthe cur-'1 rent .of the powder gases.-

rmede by pp th threads of com The spraying-or: .atomizin-g device is preferably o stock-or candlejtube 6: Wltbli aratively great pitch". and of such contour: in cross-section: as toform 7 threads of different heights" (see' Fig;

while another-"set of-"threads are out from the opposite end of the stock,but: of a dilr'erentpit'ch, so that by the intersection ofthetwo threads, nipples are formed-not only o'fj different lengths, but also not in a;lon'gid -tudinal line with each other.

Instead of placing the candle tube andthe mixing chamber formed bythec'ylindersfif and 9 concentric wlth the torpedo body,

in Fig. 1, these, if desired, may be arranged as in Fig. 8, in which the candle tube 6 is shown passmg eccentrically. through the reservoir and opening into the cylinders S and 9 which are-not only eccent-ric'to'the 'torpedo'body, but are also eccentric to each other.- From the reservoir the tube 6 -1; curved across the centerofithe torpedo body to an 0 eni'ng. in the side wall," which open-,-

ing is c osed=by a removable plate 29, Figs. 8 andlO. The curvedform of the candle 6: does not interfere withthef, placing o'fflthe candle in the tube, since the-latter is'of' plastic or flexible character: and readilycon-I forms tothe curve. of the tube.

i I'n'order' to prevent the liquid inthe reservoir from flowinginto the candletube' and combustion chamber, when the candle lSdTlQb j ignited, a spring controlled annular; valve'. 30

(Figs. 11 and 12); of rubber ojr-othjer suit- 'able material .isplaced around th'e'jcandlef between the communication of the reserv'olr with the jacket: tube 2l -an d-the' p y g atomizing devic 23 and tached tothe jacket tubev in any suitable manneiyas by'a ring and screws-3:1. The

valve is held normally seated against the candle tube 6j bya spring 32 f'any Suitable Such as Split s. F g 0 a Coiled;

spring 332*, Fig. 13, andheld inthe socket 533, liked to the outer tube 21*. By this. means they valve effectually prevents flow of water to the sprayer or "atomizer, but; s

readily-forced open'by the pressure of: the.

liquid in the reservoir when the candleis' ignited. The candle is preferably covered or 'coated with. a layer .33, of para-flin, Fig. 11, or a mixture of. that-material and a. suitable resin which' may be impregnated in a fabric, before or. after placing around the rod'of powder. s c

The modified form of apparatusshown in :Fig'. 14, illustrates a portl'onof'atorpedo with the combustionv chamber and" mixing device eccentrically situated, and-- in comnnuncatlont by an opening or conduit 34, with a-chamber 35, containing a plurality of its " the water with which the compartment is thefirstcaiidle. When the candle,

sive candle fication Fig.

the candle: to 1o. tion from the to surface manner, m series or in nearly filled will cover the top surface ofprevent their premature igniproducts of combustion of another burningcandle. This means of main- 'taining the outer surface ofjthe candle cool" prevents any possible ignition, except at the purposely ignited.

be ignited in any suitable parallel, that is to or simultaneously. The

he rods may say, successively method illustrated in Fig. 14, however, shows means for igniting one candle externally by electricity, and by means of'a'sniall igniter rod 37, which in turn ignites the su i'iface of; 1stigs' nited is nearly consumed and the zone of fire approaches t e bottom of the tube, the pressure of the gases of combustion forces the small contact button 38, at the side of the tube near-its bottom outward a ainst the spring 89, Fig. 15, into contact wit an insulated metallic button 40, connected by a wire 41,. with the small igniter candle or fuse 37 at the top of the next candle. .By this means an electric 'current -is made to traverse through the small igniter rod at the top of the succeeding candle, which is ignited, the circuit bein completed by the wire 41', and the shello the torpedo, the current being generated by the batteries 42. Each succes is ignited in a'similarmanner,

and each ignition device is preferably supplied with a separate battery. In this modi- 14), I have shown means whereby iquid carbonic acid, or water im-,

, pregnated with carbonic acid or other liquefiable gas may be injected or sprayed mto the path of the products of combustion, by means of the spraying device. Y For this purose, the torpedo is provided with the chamr 43,. containing the liquid before-men tioned, and placed in communication with the spraying device by means of a pipe 44, passing through the combustion chamber 35, and controlled by a valve 46, that is normally kept closed by the great pressure within the liquid chamber 43, butis forced open as soon as pressure is generated in the combustion chamber sufiicicntly great to counterbalance the pressure of the liquidholding chamber by means of the large difference in area between the inside of the valve and its outer piston-like surface 47, in communication with the combustion chamr. The modification shown in Fig. 16, illustrates a construction similar to that of Fig. 14, but the candles are inclined to the transtaneousl vanced against the liqui verse section of the torpedo, andeacli'isprovided with a separate igniting device, 37 so that they In practicing the I invention the apparatus .h'erembeforef described is emplo ed as follows: The-"="ee1f-,-

process constituting the may, if'desired, be ignitedsimulcombustible can e 5. of suitable colloid 51"" powder, and the igniting candles or rods 15;

and 16 being in position, "and the reservoir being supplied with a suitable liquid, the rod 16 is ignited bypassing an electric current throu h. wires 18,18, whereupon rod 16 ignites r or candle 15' and this 'inturn ignites the self-combustible -candle 5; By

I coating the candle 5 and the interior of the candle-receiving tube with a suitable cement' or adhesive substance, the space between the outer surface of the candle and the walls of the containing tube may be effectively closed or filled, thereby preventing the ignition of the candle except on its exposed end surface. Thisfillin of the space between the candle and its tu e may be variously accomplished, as by the use of. parafiin mixed with a suitable resin, or by covering the exterior surface of the candle with paper, or a cotton, or other fabric, prefera ly porous, and then wetting the same with the space between the candle will be filled with water and the wetted material.

water, so that Owing to the presence ofthe cooling 'mediumvaround the exterior of'the candle5 it burns a little faster at the center thanatits periphery, so that combustion proceeds from a cup-shaped surface, the material around the periphery of the cup bein forced tightly against the walls of,the inc osin tube and acting as a packing to prevent t e; flame of ignition from entering between the candle and thetube. a single surface. The products' of combustion issue from the tube 6 into the chamber 50, and pass through the broken fire brick orkaolin in cylinder 8 and thence'reversely through cylinder 9,;i'nto the spacebetween the latter and the torpedo casing throu h openings 10 to conduitl leading tot e engine or propelling apparatus. In passing through t e firebrick or kaolin the pr nets of combustion heat the latter very hot. The pressure of the products of combustion in the chamber 50 is exerted upon the rear face of' the piston plate 26, and since this face has a greater superficial area than that portion of its front face within the reservoir, the (piston plate is adin the reservoir, carrying with it the c lindrical wall 25, and thus forcing the iquid through the spraying or atomizing device 23, into the path of the products of combustion, which the sprayed or atomized liquid is instantly heated and vaporized, and -'carried through the cyIindersS and -9, where the mass vaporization of the liquid is perfected and theproducts of combustion and vapors are voir around the candle tube serves to reduce the I I read the temperature of the latter. Furthermore, since the introduction of the liquid into the products of combustion is accomplished by pressure of such products, 1t will be 1 y understood that the amount of liquid thus supplied will be approximately proportional. to the pressure of the products of combustion.

"What is claimed is:

' 1. The process of producing a motor fluid, which consists in continuously burning a self-combusting body and continuously forcing a liquid into the products ofcombustion ,by pressure of the products-of combustion.

2. The process 0 producing a motor fluid, which consists in continuously burning a 7 seIf-combuSting body under pressure and a liquid into the prodcontinuously forcin by pressure of the products of combustion nets of combustion.

3. The process :ofproducing a motor fluid,

which consists in continuously burning a selflcombusting body under pressure, transmitting and augmenting the pressure of the products of combustion per area unit upon a li uid and forcing it into the products of com ustion.

4. .The process of producing a motor fluid, which consists in burnin under pressure a self-combusting materia utilizing heat thereof to heat a body interposed in the path of the products of combustion, and then utilizing the heat of the heated body for evaporating a liquid mixed with the products .of combustion. 5. In the production of a motor fluid, the rocess of burning a self-combustible body rom a sin le surface, and simultaneously subjectin t e body to a cooling medium.

6. In t e production of a motor fluid, the process of burning a self-combustible body y exposing a single surface to theconsuming flame, and simultaneously circulating a cooling medium about the combustible body. 7. In the production of a motor fluid, the process of burning a self-combustible body' under pressure, and injecting a liquid into the path of the products of combustion in a direction substantially at right angles to the said path. v

8. In the production of a motor fluid, the process of evaporating a. liquid, which consists in forcing the liquid into the ath of the products of combustion of a urning body in a plurality of independent jets, entering the path from opposite directions.

products of combustion spraying said liquid into the 9. In the production of a motor fluid, the

process of evaporating a liquid whicli consists in first heating the liquid by the heat of products of combustion o avburnmg body capable of supporting its owncombustion, then injecting the heated liquid into the 10..The process. of fluid, which consists in immersin in water or other liquid, a body of material capable of supportin its own combustion, in such wise that the ody may be ignited and burned from an upper surface, downward in a line vertical to, or at an an'le with the hori; zontal plane, whereb t e liquid shall by gravity be maintain around the burn' material to prevent it from igniting an being burned in .a horizontal direction, or in to be evaporated. producing a motor a direction transverse to the longitudinal Y axis of the burning body.

11. The process of producing a motor fluid, which consists in burning a body of material capable of supporting its own combustionin a direction downward whilethe body is surrounded with water.

12-. The process of producing a motor fluid, which consists in continuously burning a self-combustible body under pressure 0 its own products of combustion, and continuously forcing a liquid into said products of combustion by theirown pressure.

13. The process of producing a" motor fiuid, which consists in continuously burning a self-combustible body from a smgle surface, and continuousl forcin a liquid into the products of com ustion pressure.

14:. The process of producing a -motor fluid, which consists in burning a self-oomy their own @bustible body from a single surface, imparting a portion of the generated heat toa liquid separated from the products of combustion, and then forcing said liquid into the products of combustion.

15. The process of producing a motor fluid; which consists in products of combustion, im arting some of the heat thus generated to a products of combustion. 1

16, The process of producing a motor fluid which consists in burning a solid self combustible body and injecting a heated liquid'into the products of combustion.

17.The process of producing a motor fluid which consists in utilizing t e pressure of the roducts of combustion of a selfcombustible body toforce a liquid into said products of combustion and the heat of said products of combustion to raise the temperature of the liquid. I

18. The, process of producing a motor fluid whicliconsists iquid, and then burning a solid selfcombustible body under pressure of' its own the products of combustion to react against the movable wall of a chamber containin a liquid, and thereby forcing said liquid into said products of combustion.

19. The process of producing a motor fluid'by burning a solid body containing sufficient oxygen to support its own combustion in a closed chamber utilizing the heat thereof to evaporate a liquid, and then mixing the products of combustion and the vapors of the liquid to form the motor fluid. T

20. The process of producing a motor fluid which consists in burnin a solid explosive material in a closed 0 amber, and then utilizing the pressure of the products of combustion to force a liquid into the presence ofthe said heat of the products 0 combustion vaporizes the liquid and the temperature of said products is lowered.

products, whereby the wall of a second chamber containing a fluid,

as water, and utilizing the pressure of the products of combustion to actuate said movable wall for forcing the fluid into the chamber containin the products of combustion, whereby the aid has its temperature ralsed by the heat of the products of combustion,

and the latter have their temperature lowered by the fluid.

Intestimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

j HUDSON MAXIM. Witnesses:

C. A. L. MASSIE, ELIsHA K. CAMP. 

